re the part that I chose underlining in your text: Are you suggesting that participants lurk..., forever.

Or at least, until such time as I/we
1. Know *each poster's Character, Personality & related quirks*? ~
plus as well
2. Memorize all 3000-emoticons?, for making certain we use the specific-emoticons each poster may find "creative & interesting"?

Is that right??

No. I said nothing whatsoever about either of these things. I don't care if you never use a smiley or if you use a hundred, if you lurk for a year or post your first day.

The only thing I did is refute your pejorative assumptions -- that people who had a problem with the way you used them were "speed skimming" and "drab and boring" -- by pointing out that even people who read thoroughly and people who use smilies vivaciously could still find your posting style unpleasant to confront.

I'm glad you've decided to move on, at any rate. Your posts are much easier on the eye. Thank you.

I have some questions of you. On your site, it says: "The Freethought Fellowship is an inclusive community of independent thinkers interacting with each other to share common interests, goals, experiences, and views.
We are all members of the human race, sharing the same small, fragile planet.
There are universal issues that affect the lives of all of us.

Rather than accepting the prevalent “Us & Them” culture of today, we hope to bring concerned people from all backgrounds and beliefs together to form a partnership.
We want to work hand-in-hand toward common objectives.
The purpose of fellowship is to get beyond preaching and debating, and to promote dialogue and understanding between believers and non-believers. This inclusive approach demands mutual respect and tolerance, but it does not mean everyone will agree on all issues. However, we can work as a team to promote the values we do share."

I have some questions of you. On your site, it says: "The Freethought Fellowship is an inclusive community of independent thinkers interacting with each other to share common interests, goals, experiences, and views.
We are all members of the human race, sharing the same small, fragile planet.
There are universal issues that affect the lives of all of us.

Rather than accepting the prevalent “Us & Them” culture of today, we hope to bring concerned people from all backgrounds and beliefs together to form a partnership.
We want to work hand-in-hand toward common objectives.
The purpose of fellowship is to get beyond preaching and debating, and to promote dialogue and understanding between believers and non-believers. This inclusive approach demands mutual respect and tolerance, but it does not mean everyone will agree on all issues. However, we can work as a team to promote the values we do share."

What are your "common": Values?, Interests?, Objectives?, & Goals?

Annie

Thank you Annie and sorry for the delay in my response. I just noticed your question today.

To begin with our main belief is that we are free to chose which personal values to live by.

Having said that my personal values are as follows:

* To promote spirituality without absurdity.
* I do not believe in miracles, invisible entities or supernatural powers. (i.e. God)
* I accept and affirm life joyously without the belief in a God (any God). We are all brothers and sisters sharing the same planet.
* I do not regard this life as a waiting room or a staging post on the way to a better existence after death. We don't believe in a heaven or a hell for that matter
* I see death as the return to nature of our elements, and the end of our existence as individuals. The forms of "afterlife" available to humans are natural ones, in the natural world. Our actions, our ideas and memories of us live on, according to what we do in our lives. Our genes live on in our families, and our elements are endlessly recycled in nature.
* Reverence and love and active concern for nature. Nature was not created for us to use or abuse - Nature created us, we are an inseparable part of her, and we have a duty of care towards her.
* Our beliefs and values reconcile spirituality and rationality, emotion and values and environmental concern with science and respect for evidence.
* We do not simply co-exist uncomfortably with science: We fully embrace science as part of the human exploration of the awesome universe. However, this does not mean we believe that science can answer all questions, nor that we endorse all modern technologies regardless of their impact on nature.
* We honor reality, and keep our minds open to the evidence of the senses and of science's unending quest for deeper understanding. These are our best means of coming to know the Universe, and on them we base our aesthetic and religious feelings about reality.
* All humans are equal centers of awareness of the Universe and nature, and all deserve a life of equal dignity and mutual respect. To this end we support and work towards freedom, democracy, justice, and non-discrimination, and a world community based on peace, sustainable ways of life, full respect for human rights and an end to poverty.
* We are an integral part of Nature, which we should cherish, revere and preserve in all its magnificent beauty and diversity. We should strive to live in harmony with Nature locally and globally. We acknowledge the inherent value of all life, human and non-human, and strive to treat all living beings with compassion and respect.
* We also strive to promote a healthy and positive attitude to sex and life in the body.

Many of you will recognize these beliefs are from the pantheist website. I am a scientific pantheist by definition and I subscribe to their personal beliefs. For more information refer to http://www.harrison.dircon.co.uk/wpm/index.htm

"Equestrian" is NOT the name of a sporting activity. "Equestrian," in this context, is an adjective, and must modify a noun: e.g. "Equestrian Events." "Equestrian," as a noun, refers to the PERSON -- horseback rider -- who is participating in "equestrian events." The correct NOUN for "equestrian events" -- i.e., the activity of horseback riding -- is EQUITATION.

"Equestrian" is NOT the name of a sporting activity. "Equestrian," in this context, is an adjective, and must modify a noun: e.g. "Equestrian Events." "Equestrian," as a noun, refers to the PERSON -- horseback rider -- who is participating in "equestrian events." The correct NOUN for "equestrian events" -- i.e., the activity of horseback riding -- is EQUITATION.

#786

OK

Got it.

Perhaps you might consider that, as I happily practice my developing Ice-skills... at the rink, simply because I am curious as to what other sports members here might participate in,
I simply went to an Olympic web-site, and copy/pasted how those "experts" listed them.

Perhaps you might consider that, ... simply because I am curious as to what other sports members here might participate in,
I simply went to an Olympic web-site, and copy/pasted how those "experts" listed them.

Perhaps you wanna "pet-peeve-Correct" the Olympic-experts, too?

Annie

Yes, by all means. I don't know if the improper shortening of "Equestrian Events" to "Equestrian" began with the IOC, but they have certainly perpetuated it, and are thus leading innocent bystanders (like yourself) astray. IOW, the "Olympic experts" are exactly the ones to whom my "pet peeve" is directed. Not that I expect to have any effect, mind you.

In the short time of participating here, plentifully apparent are
how -
many express sincere caring for one another in all sorts of contexts, often unfortunate .
And
the thought was: 'I wonder how positively encouraging they would be re 3 of my specific challenges'.

Would they sneer, scorn, mockingly laugh contemptuously (as some here have, at how I enjoy expressing myself using the plethora of Happy smilies available at this site, merrily sprinkling them all over my posts like I did at first).
or
Would people actually think & post: "Hey, what inspirational beliefs/ways of going about things, Annie! - more power to you! You go girl !" like our true friends positively keep encouraging...

But then, the concern is: "Better not risk sharing such, in this group."

The best suggestion I would have for you Annie is to write clearly. Most of the time I can't understand what you are trying to convey. What with all the * and - and ... not to mention the smilies in the middle of words. It really is hard to follow what you are saying so I gave up reading your words. It's not helpful to anyone if you can't be understood.

I love to use smilies myself, but when it interferes with communicating that should be the time to drop them out, or limit them in serious discussions.